Live Life Loud

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

From IMDB – Lawman Luke Hobbs and outcast Deckard Shaw form an unlikely alliance when a cyber-genetically enhanced villain threatens the future of humanity.

Hobbs and Shaw is ridiculous.But it’s ridiculous in the best possible ways – it’s a throw back to late eighties/early nineties action blockbusters when Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Van Damme ruled the genre.Statham and The Rock are the logical heirs, and they take that ball and run with it here.

The former rivals are forced to team up to stop a biological threat, that is contained (quite conveniently) within Shaw’s estranged sister – so there is a plot, thin as it may be, but the real star here, is the chemistry between the two leads – as we watch their rivalry grow from bitter enemies into “bro” relationship.

Lots of one liners are scattered throughout, making for some welcome lighter moments – and the extended cameos from Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Hart provide highlights within a movie that’s already pretty entertaining.

Hobbs and Shaw is also aware of what it is – a fairly mindless action flick – and it benefits by not taking itself too seriously.In saying that though, one thing it does take seriously is family relationships (which carries over the theme from the original Fast franchise), and this film sees the characters of Hobbs and Shaw BOTH reconciling estranged family relationships.

Idris Elba plays the villain of the piece, and he’s wonderful.You can just tell that he’s enjoying himself with this role, and I would have liked to have seen him go even further “over the top”.His enhanced character seems to share some kind of control over a transforming motorcycle, which provides some of the most WTF?! moments – I actually said “oh fuck off!” out loud at one point.

Everything leads to our eventual climax, set in Samoa.Here we are treated to some fantastic action set amongst some beautiful cinematography – and a chase scene that sees four cars locked together in an attempt to bring a helicopter back to land.Utterly ridiculous, but completely thrilling!

With the real life divide between the original “Fast Family” and the Hobbs and Shaw faction, I fully expect THIS movie to launch a new franchise – meaning this won’t be the last we see of The Rock and Statham team up, and I’m completely happy with that!